The Next Door Neighbor Reaction
by ALC1
Summary: Penny's date goes from bad to worse and Sheldon overhears, then steps up to help. Hurt/Comfort/Friendship Rated M due to a brief mention of violence. I'll go ahead and throw a trigger warning in here, too, for the violence, but all-in-all, it's pretty mild.
1. Chapter 1

Sheldon sat alone in his apartment, preparing for an evening of video games, snacks, and an early bedtime. He had the TV turned on, and was getting ready to fire up the gaming system when he heard voices coming up the stairs, yelling at one another. He waited, assuming they would pass and go up to the next floor, but the couple stopped outside Penny's apartment. They paused for a moment, presumably while Penny dug for her keys. While Sheldon couldn't make out individual words, the tone clearly indicated the evening was not going as planned. Her front door slammed shut and quiet again prevailed. Evidently, her date wasn't going well.

He sighed to himself. Penny was attractive, but her pleasing figure and lovely face only seemed to attract lunk-heads that didn't seem to care about anything other than coitus. In the past month alone, she'd brought three different men up to her apartment. He wasn't jealous over her spending time with these men, and he didn't judge her for it. No, the feeling Sheldon got when the topic came to mind was that of concern.

It was this feeling of concern that washed over Sheldon as he stared at the television, listening for any other indications of a fight. Ten minutes passed, and things remained quiet. Perhaps they had worked things out after all, he decided. Just as he began to relax, the silence was shattered by the sound of Penny's date shouting profanity-laden insults. Despite being across the hall with the door closed, Sheldon could now hear nearly everything being said. He cringed inwardly as Penny was called worthless, pathetic, and simple-minded, along with a string of swear words that would have made a sailor blush.

The two argued loudly for several minutes, making Sheldon fidget uncomfortably in his seat. A few moments of peace were followed by a loud crash, the sound of breaking glass, and worst of all, a whimper that had to have come from Penny. After a moment of profound silence, the door slammed shut and heavy footfalls traipsed down the steps.

He hesitated, unsure how to proceed. Calling the police seemed like a reasonable course of action, but perhaps she would be resentful if he did. Perhaps it would be best to assure himself that she was unharmed by going over.

He sighed a little, walked across the hall, and rapped on her door.

_Knock, knock, knock_

Penny?

_Knock, knock, knock_

Penny?

_Knock, knock, knock_

Penny?

He heard her come towards the door, but it didn't open.

"Sheldon?" she asked.

"Yes, it's me."

"Just go home, okay?"

"Penny?" he questioned. "Were you injured?"

"Sheldon, I don't feel like talking right now. Just go home, please."

"Penny, I heard you cry out in pain. I do not feel comfortable leaving you until I can establish that you have not been harmed and that the argument you were involved in has been resolved. Please allow me to enter the apartment to assess the situation."

The door opened a few inches. "You heard all of that?" she asked softly, through the crack in the door.

"I couldn't hear everything that was being said, but yes, I know you had an argument."

"Oh Sheldon, he was such a jerk."

"I could have guessed as much," he replied. "The names he called you were untrue and unfair. You deserve better than that."

She sniffled twice.

"Penelope, are you crying?"

She sobbed out a quiet little, "Yes."

He sighed deeply. "Please open the door so I am able to comfort you."

She opened the door and he walked in. Her apartment looked like it had been ransacked. Items were strewn about everywhere, and broken glass littered the kitchen floor.

"There, there," he began, patting her shoulder. "Sheldon is here." He stopped for a moment, taking in the damage to her belongings. "Penny what happened in here? Did he destroy your property? I can summon the police, if you wish."

She shook her head. "I don't want you to call the cops. I'll clean up the mess." She thought for a moment, sniffled then added, "You can go back home, sweetie. I don't want you to feel like you have to stay."

He wrinkled his brow. "Penny, I do have an aversion to expressing emotion, and dealing with the complexity of emotional situations. That is true. However, despite your constant mooching and inability to comprehend algorithms, I still find myself caring a great deal for you, and for your well-being. You are clearly distressed and I would like to assist you. Furthermore, I am positive I heard you cry out in pain and I have not reached any satisfactory conclusion as to why that might be. Please allow me to help you."

In reply to his profession of care, Penny put her arms around Sheldon and hugged him close.

He froze momentarily, then gently hugged her back. "Why don't you spend the night in my apartment?" he asked. "I can help you clean up this-" he gestured, sweeping an arm around the place, "in the morning." He pulled away and patted her shoulder again.

"You're inviting me over?" she asked cautiously.

"It seems only fitting, Penny. Your apartment's current state isn't well suited to offer you any type of comfort or solace. Staying in my apartment would afford you a greater measure of personal security and safety, alleviating some of the distress you are currently feeling." He paused. "That means yes."

"Thank you. I don't really feel like being alone."

He helped her gather a few belongings and after locking the door, they walked across to apartment 4-A.

Upon entering, Sheldon immediately filled the kettle with water and put it on the burner. Hot tea, he reasoned, was soothing as well as appropriate. He pulled two mugs out of the cupboard and chose chamomile tea, placing one bag in each cup.

Penny sat numbly on Sheldon's couch. Her hands were shaking and a few tears leaked down her cheek. She'd fought with boyfriends in the past, but she'd never had anyone break her personal belongings. She'd never had a man push her against a wall in anger, and laugh when she yelped in pain and fell to the floor. The entire experience left her feeling shaken, fragile, and uncertain.

Sheldon watched her carefully from his vantage point in the kitchen. She was curled into a ball and sat at the far end of the couch. While the kettle warmed on the stove, he pulled a blanket out of the closet and brought it over.

"Are you cold?" he asked softly.

She nodded, not speaking.

He unfolded the blanket and gently laid it over her. "There you are." He sat down beside her, pivoting slightly so they were facing one another. "Close your eyes, Penny."

"What?" she questioned.

He glanced down. "Your hands are trembling. I want to help you. Close your eyes, please."

"Sheldon?"

"It's merely a relaxation technique. Now, close your eyes." He walked her through a very basic visualization exercise.

"If you're feeling inundated by thoughts of negativity, you can simply envision a wall. It can be made of whatever material you wish- bricks, logs, glass, cement- it doesn't matter what its composed of, as long as this wall is strong and sturdy. When you begin to feel overwhelmed or unhappy, drop your wall. Once the wall has been placed, no negative, sad, or anxious thoughts can break through it. Those feelings are trapped on the other side where they are unable to affect you. You will be safe." He cleared his throat. "If you practice this, you will be able to control how your emotions affect you."

She opened her eyes. "Where did you learn that?"

He cocked an eyebrow. "A basic college psychology course. Why do you ask?"

"It's just that…it sorta works."

"Well of course it works. I wouldn't have taken the time to instruct you if the technique was bogus or unsubstantiated."

The kettle whistled on the stove and Sheldon stood up. He poured the boiling water into two mugs he had prepared and carried them back over to the couch.

"Will you tell me what happened?" he asked her plainly.

"There's not much to tell, Sheldon. He was drunk, he got grabby and I didn't like it. I told him to cut it out and he got nasty. He threw some of my stuff around, pushed me into a wall, laughed when I cried. Oh…and he broke a few glasses in the kitchen."

His eyebrows rose. "He pushed you? Were you hurt?"

She shook her head. "No. I mean, it hurt at the time, but I'm okay now, just upset and angry and…I don't know. Sad."

He nodded. "I'm very sorry that this happened to you. Truly, I am."

"Thanks, Sheldon," she said softly.

It was late and Penny was exhausted. They finished their tea and Penny went into the bathroom to change and brush her teeth. When she came back out, the couch had been made up into a bed, complete with pillows and several blankets.

"I will leave the light over the stove on to act as a nightlight. Ordinarily, I do not allow anyone to disturb my sleep, but if you need anything, you may knock and wake me. Do you require anything else before I retire?"

She shook her head. "No."

"Very well." He turned to head back to bed.

"Sheldon?" she asked.

"Yes Penny?"

She walked over and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He turned to walk away. "In the future, if I do something nice for you, please refrain from smearing germs across my face with your lips."

Penny rolled her eyes. "Good night, Sheldon."

**A/N: Thank you for taking the time to read my little story. If you liked it and would like to see it continue, please do leave a comment to let me know. I am okay with it the way it is now, but I have enough material to turn it into a 4 or 5 chapter story, depending on what you guys tell me. Thanks very much for your comments, likes, favorites, and for taking the time to read. There are tons of wonderful stories out there and I'm so flattered that you're reading mine. **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello everyone! Though I am a tried and true Lenny fan, I do find it touchingly adorable when Sheldon and Penny have their moments, too. I've tried to capture a little bit of that in this chapter and I do hope that you like it. If you could be so kind as to leave me a review, I would very much so appreciate it. Happy New Year, readers! **

Chapter 2

Sheldon turned over in his bed, cursing his inability to drift off. Penny was fine. She did not need further assistance, so sleep should have come easily. This, however, was not the case.

The sound of objects breaking, angry shouting, and Penny's cry brought back memories that he thought were long forgotten. Truthfully, he hadn't wanted to remember. It took him back a time in his life when he had little control over his environment. He was too small too effectively change his situation. This feeling of helplessness forced him to regulate as much of his life as he could.

As an adult, he found himself controlling every aspect of his life as much as possible. Everything was scheduled perfectly, disasters planned for, each detail meticulously thought out. He could expect no less from himself. It was this logic and this reasoning that kept him awake; what had happened to Penny was unacceptable.

Penny sat up, pulled a blanket around her and shivered lightly. Even with the warm cover wrapped around her, she still felt cold and uneasy. She wished Sheldon hadn't gone to bed so soon. He might show concern differently than anyone she'd ever met, but she knew him well enough to know he was being sincere.

She felt restless and despite the late hour, found herself wanting to go back to her own place. She stood up, crept quietly across the hall, and entered her own apartment. _If I can just clean it up, maybe then I'll be able to sleep. _

She flipped on a light in the kitchen, carefully walking around the broken glass on the floor. Her stomach sank as she glanced around. Housekeeping was not her forte and never had been, but she'd tried hard to make the apartment her home. Looking at her things scattered across the space, some broken and some merely out of place, she felt her knees go weak. Her elbows rested on the counter and she put her head in her hands. It was worse than she had remembered.

She took a deep breath to steady herself, grabbed a broom and started sweeping up the broken glass on the kitchen floor. The pieces clinked together as they filled the trash bin.

Walking into the living room, she bent down to straighten a stack of magazines that had toppled over. She accidentally bumped the end table, sending a picture frame to the floor. The ceramic frame cracked and the glass shattered as it hit the floor. Her parents' picture stared up at her, their faces smiling through the shards. It was the straw that broke the camel's back. She began sobbing quietly, overwhelmed by the mess that surrounded her.

"Oh mom and dad, I'm so sorry," she cried, speaking to the living room.

A light knock on the door startled her, and she turned. Sheldon stood in the doorway wearing his robe.

"Penny, why are you here? I promised you I would help clean in the morning. Please come back to my apartment. It doesn't seem fitting for you to be here right now. It's late."

"My mom and dad," she said, sniffling. "It's my fault it's broken."

He gave her an odd look. "You realize of course, Penny, that the photograph in that frame is only a likeness of your parents…"

"Of course I know that Sheldon!" she replied, frustrated. "It's just…they gave me this before I left and now it's broken and…"

He walked over and patted her shoulder. "There, there. It's alright. The photograph itself is not damaged. You can purchase a-"

She interrupted. "Wait a minute. Sheldon…you only knocked once."

He nodded. "Your door was left open. I could physically see you, therefore three knocks to alert you were deemed unnecessary." He paused a moment. "It's dangerous to leave your door unlocked, let alone leaving it open for any passerby to enter the premises. In this instance, I was awake and heard you depart, but what if I had been sleeping and that man had returned?"

"I don't know. It doesn't even matter."

"Of course it matters. Why on earth would you even say such a thing?"

She shrugged. "I shouldn't have brought him here. It's my fault this happened. I knew at dinner that I didn't like David, but I still brought him here…I was lonely. "

"Penelope, this was not your fault. Do not blame yourself for the violent and caustic actions of another. Destructive behavior is common among those who have been victimized."

"Oh Sheldon, I'm not a victim. I'm just an idiot."

He closed his eyes. "Penny, look around you. Your belongings have been broken and strewn about. You were verbally assaulted. You were pushed into a wall. Whether you are comfortable with the term or not, I must insist that you are, in fact, a victim in this situation."

She fell silent for a time, and he stood quietly, awaiting her reply.

"I couldn't sleep. I just kept thinking about what happened. I thought maybe if I cleaned up the mess it would be like it didn't happen and I could forget about it."

"Merely cleaning up will not alleviate your emotional distress. Come along. Do you wish to talk more about what happened?" he asked, leading her back across the hall.

She shook her head lightly. "No."

After once again securing her door, he walked back into his own apartment. Sheldon checked the clock on his way in and seeing the time, he made up his mind. It was time to implement something he wasn't comfortable with, but something he knew would lend comfort to Penny.

"You mentioned a moment before that you were feeling lonely. I can only assume that you are still feeling that emotion, perhaps more so now, based on the events which have transpired." He stopped a moment, glanced towards his room, and sighed, already regretting what he was about to propose. "I suggest that you stay in my room tonight."

"I thought no one was allowed in your room."

"I'm well aware of that rule, Penny, as I am the one who created it."

"Wait, couldn't I just stay in Leonard's room since he's not here?"

"You said you were lonely. I may not be anyone's first choice, Penny, but I am someone. If you are truly lonely, as you say you are, perhaps you could find solace with me?"

She stood up, backing away. "Wait, you want to sleep with me? Sheldon..."

He wrinkled his brow. "Penny, I'm not suggesting coitus. I'm offering you a place to sleep where you will not be alone."

"But…you don't like touching anyone, you don't even like hugging anyone. I don't understand."

"Penny, you know very little about my childhood. I do not wish to divulge particulars, but I have experienced numerous situations similar to the one you faced this evening. That alone is the reason why I am allowing this. If you accept my offer, you will stay on your own side of the bed, promising not to cross the barrier I will place down the middle. You will not be by yourself."

Twelve minutes later, Penny found herself lying in bed with Dr. Sheldon Cooper. A blanket had been rolled up and placed down the middle of the bed, effectively providing a barrier between the two. His mattress was firm yet comfortable, the blankets warm and soft. The sound of his breathing helped her relax and she found herself dozing off within a matter of minutes.

Sheldon lay perfectly still, uncomfortable and ill at ease. He wanted nothing more than to exit the bedroom and retire to the couch. He looked over at the blonde and reconsidered. The point was to lend support to Penny; after all, he was the one who had invited her in. He sighed with resignation. Perhaps he could tolerate it for one evening.

She had fallen asleep faster than he'd expected and he turned his head slightly to look over at her. She slept on her stomach with one arm tucked under her pillow and the other hanging off the side of the bed. Moonlight filtered in through the window and he watched her back rise and fall with each breath she took. Her hair was mussed and appeared to glow softly in the dim light. The intimacy of the moment startled him and without understanding why, Sheldon simply watched her sleep quietly next to him. His head began to nod and his body relaxed. His eyes closed and he drifted off next to her.

Penny turned in her sleep, wrapped an arm around Sheldon, and snuggled close as she pulled the covers up. He placed his hand on her arm and squeezed it gently. They found comfort in each other's arms as they slept that night. Both ran from different demons, but both found the refuge they were looking for, just the same.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Penny stretched and yawned softly. She turned her head this way and that, trying to relieve the ache that now resided in her shoulders. Her eyes finally opened, then widened in surprise. She was cuddled close to Sheldon. Her head rested on his shoulder, and his arm wrapped protectively around her back. Her arm, in turn, rested on his chest. He slept peacefully beside her, unaware of their close proximity to one another.

The clock at the bedside shone a dim 4:52, and the streetlights outside the building cast a faint glow on the walls. The dark, quiet room seemed to notice something was amiss.

She froze. _How will he react when he wakes up? What should I do? _As she lay there, thinking, Sheldon stirred next to her. His hand softly stroked her back and she closed her eyes. If he woke up, she certainly didn't want to appear to be awake. She laid still and quiet, unmoving, as he held her.

Sheldon feigned sleep, enjoying the intimacy he and Penny were sharing. He'd heard her wake and yawn then felt her body tense as she realized what was happening. Sheldon assumed she would jerk away and put the blanket back in place, but to his surprise, she lay perfectly still. He moved a little and gently rubbed her back. It seemed to help her settle in, and she soon seemed to be sleeping again.

He had to admit that despite his constant protests against touching, this was quite nice. When he was little, his mother had taken care to cuddle him from time to time, and his Meemaw had always doted on him. She would scoop him up and wrap the two of them in a blanket on her big rocking chair. He missed times like those; this was a suitable substitute.

Because they had turned in at such a late hour, Sheldon permitted himself to drift back to sleep. Ordinarily, if he was awake, that was that and it was time to get up…but with the rest of the rules already broken, what did it matter? He closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment he knew would end all too soon.

They woke within a minute of each other several hours later. She was still curled up beside him, hand resting lightly on his chest. Her arm was cold, so he pulled the blanket over it, which caused her to stir. His eyes gazed into hers as she opened them.

Her reaction startled them both. She jumped and scooted away. "I'm sorry, Sheldon. I'm sorry." She said in a panic. "I didn't mean to…I mean, I wasn't trying to-" she faltered.

He sat up, wondering why she looked so worried. "Penny, you needn't be afraid of me. I'm not angry with you."

"You…you aren't?"

"No," he replied softly. "As much as I tend to fuss about physical contact, I must say that sometimes I miss it. I enjoyed it."

"Oh," she quietly replied. "I…I didn't think you liked it when people touched you."

"I don't." he said bluntly. "I cannot tell you why I enjoyed what happened. I can only tell you that I did. It was pleasant holding you next to me."

"Sheldon, I…" she trailed off.

"Am I making you uncomfortable, Penny?" he asked.

"I don't know, sweetie. You just don't usually talk to me about your feelings. I never know how to answer you."

He pursed his lips. "How would you answer if I were Leonard?"

She thought for a moment. "I would tell him that I liked it, too, and I thought it was sweet, kind, and very comforting."

His nod was almost imperceptible. "Alright. Now please leave the room so I can dress."

"Sure, Sheldon. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Penny."

She walked out of the room, blushing furiously. For someone who had been with her fair share of men, she wasn't sure why talking honestly with Sheldon always flustered her so badly.

She started breakfast, wanting to have a task to tend to. The kettle was quickly filled with water and turned on and she started making pancake batter. The freezer held a box of brown and serve sausages, so she put those on the griddle.

Sheldon walked out a few minutes later, wearing a Green Lantern tee shirt and brown pants. "What are you doing?" he asked, perplexed.

"Uh…I'm making breakfast."

"But I have cereal on Saturdays, Penny."

She smiled. "You have cereal at 6:30 and watch Dr. Who. It is 9:30 and you spent the night with a girl in your bedroom. I think after a flip-up like that, pancakes and sausage should be the least of your worries."

He couldn't argue with her logic; besides, the food smelled delicious. "Just this once," he said, regrettably. The world was topsy-turvy this morning.

He sat down at the counter and watched while she flipped the pancakes and turned the sausage.

"Do you have any syrup, sweetie?" she asked, while she multi-tasked.

He nodded. "It's in the cupboard just above your right shoulder."

"Great." She quickly grabbed the Mrs. Butterworth and two plates. The pancakes were golden and smelled wonderful. She filled both plates and turned around, handing one to Sheldon. "Here you go," she smiled. "Dig in."

They ate in awkward silence for a time, until Sheldon spoke up.

"When we're finished here, I'll help you clean your apartment."

"Okay. Thank you."

"Did I say something to offend you?" he questioned sincerely. "I sense that something is wrong."

"No, sweetie, it's nothing you said. I'm just remembering what a disaster my place is. I'm not looking forward to going back, is all." She licked a bit of syrup off her finger and took a sip of tea.

His eyes lit up. "I'll clean it for you. And organize it."

"Sheldon, I'm not going to ask you to do that. It's too much work."

He gave her a peculiar look. "It's not work. It's organizing. It's necessary fun."

"Necessary fun?" she quipped and raised an eyebrow.

"Do you want my help or not?" he asked.

"Definitely," Penny smiled, "but I'm not making you do it alone. I'll come over and help, too."

Two hours later, she plopped down onto her sofa and let out a satisfied sigh. "I can't believe it's back to normal," she smiled. "I thought it would take all day to get everything sorted out. Thank you, Sheldon. You really_ are_ good at this."

"I know." He smiled back. "I've always been good at it. In fact, when I was little, my mom would rip apart entire rooms sometimes just so I could clean and organize it again." He paused. "I miss that."

"Huh. Well, that's…uh, interesting, sweetie."

He stood up abruptly. "Yes. So, your apartment is back to normal. I'll go now."

"Sheldon? You don't have to leave just because the work is done. You can hang out if you want to," she smiled hopefully.

His eyes darted around the room, finally landing on her. "I don't want to."

"Oh. Well, thanks for your help." She felt sad. "Thank you for letting me stay over last night."

"You're welcome," he said simply. He stood and turned to leave. Just before Sheldon walked out the door, he turned back to the waitress. "Penny, you may come over to my apartment if you wish."

She smiled. "You wouldn't mind?"

"No. I'm finding that spending time with you is rather enjoyable, despite your shortcomings."

She rolled her eyes and followed him out the door.

**A/N: Thank you for taking the time to read, review, follow, or favorite. I do truly appreciate hearing from you. It is quite nice to have a review or two waiting for you when you check your mail. I do hope that you like this little chapter. Have a wonderful day! **


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

He'd surprised her. After the words they had exchanged, Penny assumed Sheldon wanted nothing more than some time to himself. When he offered for her to follow him back to his own apartment, she was relieved.

"Are you sure you don't mind that I'm coming back over, Sheldon?" she questioned softly.

"No." He paused, looking her over. "Are you feeling well?"

"Um. I'm sorry. I just…" she shrugged.

He looked perplexed. "You just what? And why are you sorry?"

"Never mind, honey. It's fine."

"Penny?"

"I just…I wasn't sure if you liked me all that much. I mean, you helped me last night and you even let me stay with you and that was really nice and I really appreciate it. I just assumed that when you said you didn't want to stay at my place, it was because you were tired of me and didn't want to be around me anymore." She hesitated. "Like I said, I was afraid you just didn't like me much."

His eyebrow twitched. She, of all people, shouldn't be insecure about being liked. Everyone liked Penny. "Now you know I do," he said, simply.

He turned on the television and sat on the couch. The blanket she'd used the night before was neatly folded on the chair and she snatched it up, sitting down beside him. She spread it out, offering some to Sheldon, who refused.

She wasn't particularly interested in Star Trek, so she found her eyes wandering around the apartment. It was filled with an eclectic mix of this and that, all hodge-podged together into one glorious combination of science, science-fiction, and fantasy. It made her smile.

The program ended and as the credits flashed across the screen, he turned the TV off. It was after one.

"I'm hungry." He said, standing.

"Um…yeah. I'm hungry, too," she smiled.

He thought for a moment. "Would you like to go out and get something?"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Sheldon. I can't really afford it right now. Mind if I look around and see what you've got? Maybe I can fix us something." She dug around in the pantry and in the cupboards, finding bread, soup, and butter. "Hang on a minute, she said. I'll be right back."

Sheldon waited patiently and, as promised, she returned a few minutes later carrying a package of cheese slices. "Do you like toasted cheese and tomato soup?" she questioned hopefully.

He smiled. "Actually, I do."

She heated up a skillet while preparing the sandwiches; the tomato soup simmered on the stove. The kitchen filled with a buttery aroma as the bread toasted golden in the pan. She cut each sandwich in half diagonally, and popped one on each plate. The soup was ladled into two bowls.

"Thank you," he said as she handed him lunch.

"You're welcome, honey."

"Leonard can't eat grilled cheese. He never makes it for me."

"Well, Sheldon, he_ is_ lactose intolerant."

"I know."

"Do you want another sandwich? I can make you another one."

His eyes lit up. "Two grilled cheese sandwiches? Yes!"

She grinned. He was so childlike at times. She started fixing the second sandwich.

"Penny," he asked after a time, "do you feel that I am a social pariah?"

"Sweetie…what's a pariah?" She slid the second sandwich on his plate.

His forehead wrinkled. "You know…a pariah, an outcast."

"Sheldon! No. I don't think that. I think you're…unique. You're just you."

Their conversation was interrupted by someone loudly knocking on the front door of apartment 4-B.

He stood up. "Were you expecting someone?"

She shook her head. "No, but I'm right here. I can see who it is." She opened the door and walked across the hall. Her date from last night stood in front of her door. She froze.

"David. What are you doing here?"

"Penny? I thought you lived in 4-B?"

"I-I do. I'm just visiting my friend."

He nodded slowly. "I came to apologize. I'm sorry we fought last night."

She bit back a sharp retort. "Oh... Okay, thanks." She turned around, preparing to go back into Sheldon's apartment.

"Wait," he spoke. "Let me make it up to you. I'll take you somewhere nice for dinner tonight. Please?"

She shook her head. "I don't think that's a good idea. Do you remember the things you said to me? You broke my stuff. You pushed me." She paused, and spoke softly. "It hurt."

He looked down sheepishly. "I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have had so much to drink. I didn't mean to hurt you. Let me make amends. Please?"

Sheldon scoffed quietly in the living room. He hoped Penny wouldn't be lured back by his pleading. It reminded him a bit of his father. He'd beg and plead and his mother would, without fail, forgive and forget. It happened so many times, it just became a fact of life for Sheldon. His father's relationship with alcohol made Sheldon a firm believer in abstaining from it. He listened as the man in the hallway gave the same excuses his father had. 'He wasn't thinking straight, he would never knowingly be like that, please just forgive him this one time, it wouldn't happen again.' His eyes narrowed. He heard Penny talking quietly.

"I don't know, David."

His face fell and darkened a bit. "I see." He was silent for a moment. "Penny, I really want to see you again. I think we'd make a great couple. Come on, babe. Say yes, won't you?"

She hesitated. "I-I don't know." She really didn't want to, but felt like she ought to give him another chance. He seemed a lot more like the fun guy she'd met before and not the scary drunk idiot she'd seen last night.

"Please?" he smiled.

Sheldon had had enough. He stood up and walked to the front door. "Penelope," he said quietly, "may I please have a word with you before you give this man an answer?"

She looked at Sheldon, then David, then back to Sheldon. "Okay," she said meekly.

"Who's this guy?" David asked.

"Oh, David, this is my friend Sheldon- Sheldon, meet David."

The two nodded to one another in acknowledgement.

Sheldon motioned for Penny to follow and he closed the door to his apartment.

"Sweetie, what are you doing? I can handle this."

"Can you, Penny? It sounded like you were coming dangerously close to saying yes to a man who assaulted you just last night."

"Don't worry about it, Sheldon. I feel like I should give him another chance…maybe. He just had too much to drink."

Sheldon put his hand on his temple. "I do not think you should give him 'another chance' as you put it. He hurt you. That is unacceptable, no matter the circumstances."

David rapped on the door. "Come on, Penny, please?" he asked.

She opened the front door again, joining David out in the hallway. "You know, you really scared me last night. I've never had anyone do anything like that before. I didn't like it."

"I told you," he said, "I shouldn't have said that stuff…but you were in the wrong, too, a little bit. You shouldn't have brought me up if you didn't want to follow through."

"Follow through?" she asked.

He gave her a knowing look. "You know what I mean, Penny. I took you to a nice dinner, bought you a few drinks. When you suggested I come over, what else was I supposed to expect?"

She stood there, unable to reply.

"Come on," he pleaded. "I still think you're a nice girl. We can pick up where we left off."

She bit her lip. "Was that when you pushed me into a wall and laughed at me?"

"I said I was sorry. You don't have to keep bringing it up. I made a mistake, okay?"

"David, I don't want to go out tonight. I need some time to think. Please just go."

"Penny…" he trailed off. "Don't make it worse than it was. Come on, please? Come with me." He extended a hand towards her.

She shook her head lightly, looking down at her feet. Her hand rested on the door frame. She looked back at Sheldon, then again at David who smiled at her, hand still extended. "I…I don't know," she stuttered.

"Just say yes. You'll have fun, I know you will." He reached out and ran a finger up and down her arm.

"Well," she began slowly, "if you promise not to drink…"

"I won't have as much as last night." He smiled. His hand rested on her arm.

"David…can we just get to know each other first?" she asked. "Do you have to drink tonight?"

"I don't have to," he grinned, "but I want to. Besides, I already know plenty about you. Think of how much more we could find out about each other tonight." His hand stroked her arm suggestively; she made a face and pulled away.

The uncertain look on her face pushed Sheldon over the edge; he had run out of patience. "Come on, Penny." He said, softly. Sheldon took her hand and led her through the door, closing and locking it behind him. Clearly this guy was going to hang around until Penny relented and went out with him, or until he got violent. She stood, uncertain, next to the door.

David pounded on the door. "Hey. What the hell? Come on, Penny, let's go."

Sheldon walked back to the door. "I advise that you vacate the premises, as I am calling the police. Penny will not be going with you. Do not come back."

"Stay out of this, man. It's between me and her- and she owes me."

"What, exactly, do you feel she owes you, David?"

"That's between her and I." came his sullen voice, through the door.

Sheldon spoke quietly, "David, if that's a thinly veiled threat that Penny owes you some sort of sexual favor based on your buying her a meal, I'm sure that the officers responding to the call I've placed will be very interested to hear it."

Penny yelled through the front door. "God, I can't believe I even went to dinner with you. Just go, David. We are so over. Get out!"

"It's a damned shame you think you're too good for me, Penny," he shouted. He laughed raucously for a moment, then an icy silence took its place. His voice became a low guttural whisper. "No, Penny, you're not too good for me. From what I've heard, you're one of the easiest girls in town- practically a whore." He paused a moment for effect. "Except…except whores get paid, don't they? You do it for free." He laughed again. "Too good for me, huh? I don't think so." David turned and walked down the stairs, never looking back.

Sheldon heard as he tromped down the stairs. He turned back to Penny. She'd wandered over to the kitchen. Her eyes were closed and she held onto the counter. He walked over and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Penny? Are you feeling alright?"

"No" she whispered as her face crumpled.

He guided her to the couch where she cried. He sat beside her, placing one hand on her shoulder as she sobbed. When the tears finally subsided, he stood up.

"I'll make you a hot beverage now."

"Thank you, Sheldon."

"I haven't even boiled the water yet, Penny. Don't get ahead of me."

"No, sweetie, thank you for being there and seeing that guy for what he really was. Thank you for keeping him away from me."

"I wasn't going to let him hurt you."

She licked her lips. "I know. I just…I would have gone out with him again if you hadn't been here. Sheldon, it would have been the same as last night, wouldn't it? …maybe worse."

"Regrettably, yes."

He poured hot water over the tea bags, adding a squeeze of honey at the end. He sat the mugs down and thought carefully about what he was going to say. He needed to say it and make sure that she understood. Sheldon turned to face Penny, looking her right in the eyes. His hand rested gently on her knee.

"Penny, I will only say this once so please listen to me. You are beautiful, caring, and kind. You deserve someone who will treat you in a respectful manner. It is in your best interest to stop dating men who have no regard for you and are only interested in satisfying their own desires. You are not a whore, as he implied. You are lovely. Do you understand?"

She nodded mutely.

"Tell me that you understand."

"I understand," she responded quietly.

He nodded, satisfied, turning back to the tea. "I hope so."

**A/N: Hello everyone. I hadn't originally planned on having a chapter like this in the story, but I wanted a little more closure on the whole Penny/David debacle, so I ended up writing this in place of what will be the next chapter. I hope you find it enjoyable. I wasn't sure if I should post this or go on with the original story line, but I felt that having the extra dialogue kinda further cemented together Penny/Sheldon for the story. I hope that you feel that way, too. Thanks so very much for your kind reviews. Each and every one puts a smile on my face. See you next time! **


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